Apparatus for heating bolt-blanks, rivets, rods, &amp;c.



No. 737,126. I PATENTED AUG. 25, 1.903. v

w. W. MULFORD & P. c. CALDWELL.

APPARATUS FOR HEATING BOLT IBLANKS, RIVETS, RODS, 8L0. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1-- NO MODEL.

" I ATTORNEY PATENTED AUG. 25,- 1903. W. W. MULFORD & 'F. O CALDWELL. I

APPARATUS FOR HEATING BOLT-BLANKS RIVETS RODS, 6m.

' APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1902.

R o IODEL. v

ZZZRRENTORS' m: mums PETERS cc, PHOTO LIYHO wAsmNsrou. D4 c.

I PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903. W. MULFORD & F. G. CALDWELL, APPARATUS FOR HEATING BOLTBLANKS, RIVETS, RODS, 850.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1902.

R0 MODEL.

WITNESSES:

BY l/d' ATTORNEY THE ncnmsyzrzns o0. mowuwo wAsmNnToN, 04 c.

A No. 737,126. PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

w. w. MULFORD & F. 0. CALDWELL.

APPARATUS FOR HEATING BOLT BLANKS, RIVETS, RODS, 6m. APPLICATION FILED IAN. 15, 1902. A

4 sunfish-sum 4.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES:- fil INVENTQRJ' flm ATTORNEY U T D STATES Fatented August 25, 1903i PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR HEATING BOLT-BLANKS, RlVETS, RODS, 8w.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 737,126, dated August 25, 1903. Application filed January 15; 1902. Serial No. 89,837. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM W. MUL- FORD and FRANCIS O. CALDWELL, both citizens of'the United States, and residents of Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and .heated through the furnace upon a conveyor .is not novel; but in all machines heretofore -invented for such purpose either the conuseful Improvements in Apparatus for Heating Bolt-Blanks, Rivets, Rods, and other Like Articles Preparatory to Forging, Welding, or Tempering, of which'the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, such-as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in machines for heating bolt blanks, rivets, metal rods, or other like material preparatory to heading, welding,or other forging by placing the blank or article to be heated upon an endless chain or conveyer whose line of motion is parallel to a f urnace-chamber adapted to the combustion of fuel, especially gas, pe troleum, coal-dust, or similar fuel, and having a slot or. opening parallel to the line of motion of said conveyor, through which the ends of the blanks or material to be heated are extended into the furnace-chamber and propelled through the same and delivered at the end properly heated to a headingor forging machine or other desired receptacle, to-

gether with means for protecting the chains and moving parts of the conveyer from injury by heat of the furnace-chamber and for accurately adjusting the portion oft'he blank to be introduced into the chamber, so that the same machine can be used for different sizes and formsof materiaL' Heretofore blanks for bolts, rivets, &c., when not cold-forged (a method only adapted to small sizes and then, owing to the crystallization of the metal by the relatively great force required, of inferior quality) have been heated for forging by placing them in the furnace, generally by hand, and there left in a fixed position untilsuch time as is required to produce a forging heat, when they are re moved by like means as are employed to extend them into the furnace and delivered into a heading-machine or otherwise, as desired. In certain forms of machine the furnace is made of circular form and to revolve upon an axis, so that the blanks are carried around from the point where they are extended into the furnace to another point more convenient for removal; but-this method does not do.

away with the slow and cumbersomemethod of extending them into and withdrawing them from the furnace.

The idea of carrying blanks desired to be veyer-chain has been introduced into and passed through the furnace or some part of it-as, for instance, a holder for carrying chain-links has been introduced into the fur- Such machines not only require that the carrier-chain itself or certain parts there- 'of shall be introduced into the heat-chamber and subjected to a heat which causes its rapid deterioration, but also by reason of the greater size of the aperture required for the purpose of extending the conveyer-chain into the heating-chamber and removing it therefrom it is possible to obtain the desi'red'temperature for forging only by the more wasteful expenditure of fuel. Moreover, in all machines where the .conveyer-chain or blankholder is introduced into the furnace-chamher it is difficult, if not impossible, to adapt adjustment-flange, and Fig 5 a section in detail of a simple form ofholder to be attached to the links of a conveyer-chain. Fig.

6 is a side view or elevation of another form of machine in which the blanks or rods are held vertically underneath the furnace and extended into it through a vertical slot, the

projection into the slot being adjusted by a device for raising and lowering the conveyorchain. Fig. 7 is a cross-section of the same on the line wwin Fig. 6. vation of a machine in which the blanks are held vertically, as in Fig. 6, but in which the adjustment of the projection of the blanks into the furnace is elfeoted by means for raising and lowering the furnace. Fig. 9 is a top view of a convenient form of holder to be Fig. 8 is a side ele- IOO used with the form of machine shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 10 is a section of the same form of holder and of the conveyer-link to which it is attached on the line 1) p in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a top view of a convenient form of holder adapted to be used in the form of machine shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, and Fig. 12 is a cross-section of the same and of the conveyer-links to which it is attached on the line (1 q.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the casing of the heating-chamber, which is constructed of fire-brick and held together by tie-bars and stay-bolts, as usual, for supporting the walls and arches.

B represents the heating-chamber, which is preferably of cylindrical form, having a diameter of preferably five to ten inches and a length of about six feet; but other sizes and forms may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

0 and D represent the pipes for supply of fuel and air, which may be first carried through the furnace-casing close to the chamber, that they may be heated by the furnace, thus utilizing the heat to promote combustion in accordance with well-known principles.

0. a represent the slot or lateral opening into the chamber which serves the double purpose of an escape for the products of combustion and a means for introducing the ends of the blanks or rods into the chamber and which is of sufficient width to permit the passage of the blanks. At the entering end this slot is carried through the end of the chamber and continued by a recess in the end, so as to permit the entry of the blanks, and at the other end is preferably deflected down ward on a curve corresponding to the line of motion of the conveyer at the wheelF and is carried through the under surface, as indicated at a on Figs. 1 and 2, so as to permit the withdrawal of the blanks.

Z) I) represent the conveyer, consisting of one or more endless link-belt chains of ordinary construction, which is carried upon a track or plate 0 0 parallel to the slot in the furnace, supported by the frame E of any ordinary construction, and which is rigidly secured by cross-bars to the support of the furnace A.-

F represents the drive-wheel, by which a continuous motion is imparted to the traveler and which may be operated by any convenient mechanical power.

d 61 represent the blank-holders, which consist of metal castings having a flat under surface and on the upper surface having upward projections d, between which are troughs or channels al in which the blanks lie horizontally, as indicated in Fig. 9. Said castings have at each end lateral flanges Is 7a, which correspond with flanges Z Z on the conveyerlinks, to which they are bolted.

ff represent a convenient form of flange for guiding and maintaining the alinement of the blanks, which is a metal bar or plate perpendicular, or nearly so, to the surface of the conveyer-track and having one or more horizontal flanges g g, with thumb screws, passing through slots in the conveyer-track c c to regulate the distance of the upright flange from the furnace-aperture. The upright flange f is inclined away from the furnace at f to avoid catching the ends of the blanks and to gradually force them into the desired alinement.

G represents a cooling-tank for cooling the conveyer-chain on its return.

h h are chills which may be introduced into the furnace structure on each side of the slot or aperture to prevent or diminish the heating of the chain while passing close to said aperture.

In operating said machine the bolt-blanks or rods are fed to the machine at J, so as to lie in the holders at right angles to the line of motion. By the flange f the ends are pushed to a uniform alinement and are then held by the flange or guide-bar f during the remainder of their passage on the conveyer. The guide-barf is adjusted by the screws in the flange g g, so as to regulate the distance which the ends of the blanks project into the furnace. When the blanks reach the end of the furnace, they are heated to the desired temperature, the degree of heat being regulated not only by the ordinary devices for increasing or diminishing the supply of fuel and air, but also by thespeed of the conveyor and the length of the furnace traversed by the blanks. When the blanks arrive at the end of the conveyer, they are deflected downward by the change of direction of the traveler, the slot a a being correspondinglydeflected, and pass out from the furnace through the recess a. (Indicated in Fig. 2.) At the same time the change of direction releases them from the holders (1 d and permits them to fall successively into the hopper of the heading-machine or into any other convenient recepta' cle at H, from which they may be removed automatically or by hand for forging or other purposes. Should the projection of the bars into the furnace be so great relatively to the portion remaining on the traveler as to tend to cause the unsupported ends to fall downward, this tendency is counteracted by the holding-bar t', adjustably placed above the conveyer and lightly holding the ends of the blanks upon the holders. By this means the blanks are carried at a uniform rate of speed with so much of their ends as are desired to be heated through the furnace, thereby subjecting each blank to exactly the same amount of heat and raising it to a temperature which may be regulated either by increasing or diminishing the pressure of gas or other fuel and its consequent combustion or by increasing or diminishing the speed of the conveyer-chain, and when a desired temperature is obtained it can be kept uniform throughout the operation of heating, thus insuring the delivery of all blanks to the head- IIO ing or forging machine at a uniform heat.- All of the moving parts and all of the blank, except so much as is desired to be heated,are' by our invention kept Without the furnace and are not subjected to the intense heat generated therein. Injury from heating to the machine itself is thus avoided, and economy of fuel is also obtained, since the escape of heat from the combustion chamber is re-' duced to a minimum, and a greater percentage of heat derived from a given amount of fuel is utilized in heating the blank than in any other form of furnace.

Upon our drawings the. furnace and conveyer are represented in an inclined position; but the same may be constructed horizontally or vertically or at any angle which may be adapted to the most convenient arrangement of the cutting and heading machines or other receptacle for the heated blanks. By the device of elevating the delivery end of the machine the blanks fed into the machine at a lower level are raised automatically to a higher level, from which theymay be conveniently dropped into a heading-machine of ordinary construction by gravity. The form of holder indicated upon our drawings may also be varied and may be cast with the links. The conveyer may also be adapted to hold the blanks upwardly inclined instead of horizontally, as indicated, the aperture into the fornace being correspondingly inclined. The furnace may also be constructed with a slot underneath and adapted to receive blanks held vertically by suitable holders, the conveyer being placed directly underneath the furnace and the projection of the blanks into the furnace being adjusted either by raising and lowering the furnace or by raising and lowering the conveyer-frame or the moving parts thereof, as indicated on Figs. 6, 7, and 8.

In this form of machine a simple form of holder is shown in Figs. 11 and 12, and consists of a metal plated d, bolted to the flanges Z Z upon the conveyer-links at either end and having in the middlea metal casting d d of a width approximately equal to that of the slot a a, which casting contains one or more vertical cylindrical borings .01 of a size suflicient to receive the ends of the blanks.

' The casting d d may either be bolted to the bar (1 cl, as indicated, or may be cast with it.

We have indicated on our drawings plungers m m, consisting of bars entering said holes or receptacles d d from the bottom and hav-' ing a bolt-head or nut at either end. These plungers by passing over a plate at a point 7 where the blanks leave the furnace will operate to throw the blanks out from the holders; but such plungersare not a necessary feature of our invention, as the blanks will fall from the holders by force of gravity as soon as the holders are reversed by the return motion of the conveyer after passing the wheel F.

' Various other changes may be made in the construction of the machine without departingfrom the spirit andscope of our invention.

Without therefore limiting ourselves to the precise construction herein shown and del. The combinationwith a furnace or heating chamber provided with a longitudinal slot oropening, of a conveyer, and holders connected to the conveyor adapted to receive blanks and extend the ends thereof into the Y furnace through said slot and carry the same through said furnace by the motion of said conveyer; such conveyor and holders being at all times during the operation of. said machine wholly without the furnace-chamber.

2. The combination with a furnace pro;'

vided with a lateral slot or aperture of an endless conveyer adapted to move ina line parallel with said slot or aperture, holders carried by the conveyer, suitable means for automatically adjusting metal blanks laid upon the holders so as to extend the ends thereof uniformly into said furnace, and means for driving-the conveyer so as to permit the blanks to pass in a uniform motion through the furnace, and to be automatically delivered from the conveyer after passing through the furnace.

3. The combination with a furnace or heating chamber communicating with the outer air by means of a longitudinal slot or aperture in said chamber, an endless conveyer ar-. ranged parallel to such slot or aperture, and adapted to hold the ends of bolt-blanks, rivets,!metal rods, or other like material,in such too position as to automatically extend the ends 7 of the same into and carry the same through said heating-chamber and to withdraw them when heated, and means to adjust the distance which said blanks extend into the heating-chamber substantially as described.

4. The combination of a furnace or heating chamber communicating with the outer air by means'of a longitudinal slot or aperture in the side of the furnace, an endless conveyer alongside of, and parallel to such slot or aperture,holders connected to the conveyer and adapted to receive and hold metal rods, bolt-blanks, &c., and to pass the ends there of through said. furnace-chamber and to withdraw said blanks from the furnace and deliver them to a heading or forging machine, or other machine; such conveyor and holders being at all times during the operation of said machine wholly without the furnacechamber.

her having a longitudinal slot therein of an endless traveling conveyer arranged alongside of and without said chamber, holders at intervals thereon adapted to carry rods, boltblanks, &c., placed thereon with the ends projecting into said chamber through the longitudinal aperture or slot, an adjustable flange or guide-bar adapted to automatically 7 scribed, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-- adjust and maintain the uniform projection of the blanks or rods into said chamber, and means for adjusting the guide-bar to different lengths of blank, substantially as described.

6. In a machine for automatically heating bolt-blanks, rods, rivets and like material for heading or other forging, the combination with a traveling conveyer consisting of an endless chain or chains, holders upon the several links of the chain adapted to receive and hold bolt-blanks, rods or other similar blanks for forging, of a furnace-chamber having an aperture therein parallel to said conveyer for its entire length and so placed relatively thereto as to receive the ends of the boltblanks, &c., held thereon, into the furnace, and to permit the withdrawal thereof when heated, by the return motion of the conveyer, suitable mechanism for propelling said conveyer, chills or water-chambers on either side of said slot, adapted to protect the parts of the conveyer from heat and an adjustable bar for automatically preserving the alinement of said bolt-blanks while carried through said furnace, all substantially as described.

7. In a machine for automatically conveying bolt-blanks or other material for forging from a cutting-machine or other source to a heading or forging machine, and for heating the ends thereof to forging heat while so conveyed, the combination with a conveyerconsisting of one or more endless chains or travelers, of the furnace-chamber B, having the lateral aperture or slot a parallel to said conveyer, the chills or water-chambers forming the outer walls of said slot, the holders for receiving and holding blanks or rods and adapted to project the ends of the same into said furnace-chamber, a clamp-bar adjustably fixed above the conveyer to hold said blanks in position while passing through said furnace, and a gnide-bar or flange arranged in connection with said conveyer and adapted to produce and maintain a uniform projection of the blanks into the furnace, with means for adjusting the same to blanks of different length substantially as described.

8. In a machine for automatically heating bolt-blanks, rods, rivets and like material for heading or other forging, the combination with a traveling conveyer consisting of an endless chain or chains, holders upon the several links of the chain adapted to receive and hold horizontally bolt-blanks, rods or other similar blanks for forging, of a furnace'chamher having an aperture therein parallel to said conveyer for its entire length and so placed relatively thereto as to receive the ends of the bolt-blanks, &c., held thereon, into the furnace, and to permit the withdrawal thereof when heated, by the return motion of the conveyer, suitable mechanism for propelling said conveyer, chills or waterchambers on either side of said slot, adapted to protect the parts of the conveyer from heat and an adjustable bar for automatically preserving the alinement of said bolt-blanks while carried through said furnace, all substantially as described.

9. In a machine for automatically conveying bolt-blanks or other material for forging from a cutting-machine or other source to a heading or forging machine, and for heating the ends thereof to forging heat While so conveyed, the combination with a conveyer consisting of one or more endless chains or travelers, of a furnace-chamber B, having the lateral aperture or slot a parallel to said conveyer, the chills or water-chambers forming the outer walls of said slot, the holders for receiving and holding blanks or rods and adapted to project the ends of the same laterally into said furnace-chamber, a clampbar adjustably fixed above the conveyer to hold said blanks in position while passing through said furnace, and a guide-bar or flange arranged in connection with said conveyer and adapted to produce and maintain a uniform projection of the blanks into the furnace, with means for adjusting the same to blanks of different length substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM W. MULFORD. F. O. CALDWELL. Witnesses as to William W. Mulford:

CHARLES S. WHITMAN, FIELDING L. MARSHALL. Witnesses as to Francis 0. Caldwell:

EDWARD ORTON, S12, WM. T. MAGRUDER. 

